happen

[hap-uhn] / ˈhæp ən /

VERB

come to pass; occur

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appear arise arrive crop up develop fall go on hit materialize meet pass result take effect take place transpire

STRONG

befall betide bump chance down ensue eventuate follow issue light proceed recur shake smoke spring stumble supervene

WEAK

be found become a fact become known become of come about come after come into being come into existence come off luck present itself stumble upon turn out turn up what goes

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cease disappear fail halt lose stop

STRONG

precede

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Reavie was careful to say that without ongoing monitoring, he could only guess why the algae arrived, and what might happen to it next.

From Slate • Jun. 27, 2026

In mere moments, hundreds of thousands of immigrants across the country became undocumented, and fears of what would happen to them and their mixed-citizenship families mounted.

From Salon • Jun. 27, 2026

"We shouldn't assume that change just happens because this hasn't happened yet and it won't happen without people getting involved."

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026

Silicon Valley has been trying to make smartglasses happen for more than a decade—remember Google Glass?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

I tell her things I’ve wanted to tell her for years but was always afraid to, for fear of what would happen if he found out I’d spilled his secrets.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

happen

Example Sentences

Related Words